Wilmington Branch
Why it's listed
Wilmington Branch Library is a one-story reinforced concrete building at 309 West Opp Street in Los Angeles, completed in 1927. Designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, it has white stucco walls, a red tile roof, wrought-iron window grilles and a Churrigueresque-style ornament above its entrance. Inside, the children's room, known as the Robin Hood Room, has a tile-flanked fireplace with a handpainted overmantle of a boy reading among fairies and knights. The firm Marston, Van Pelt and Maybury was among the largest in Los Angeles by 1925 and a leading practitioner of the style. W. E. McAllister began construction in August 1926, financed by a 1925 city bond issue. The library grew from 100 donated volumes in 1909 to 8,675 by 1927, and it has served Irish, Italian, Black, Filipino and Latino residents in turn. It came through the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake undamaged and belongs to a thematic group of city branch libraries.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the library is significant for both its history and its architecture. It is an outstanding example of Spanish Colonial Revival design by a major Los Angeles firm. It has also served Wilmington's changing communities since 1910 and is part of a thematic group of city branch libraries.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 87001023, listed May 19, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 309 W. Opp St., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | May 19, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001023 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architects: Marston, Van Pelt and Maybury; builder W. E. McAllister |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Survived the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake with no damage; original reading room lighting has been replaced with new fixtures. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 34.05352, -118.26934 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 87001023.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8022745
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.